Nets' Nolan Traoré's February Stretch Showcases Polarizing Potential

The rookie guard has increased his scoring and passing at the cost of an uptick in turnovers.

Feb 22, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore (88) on the court against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Popularized by the anime Fullmetal Alchemist, the Law of Equivalent Exchange states that to obtain something, something of equal value must be lost or given in return. The fictional concept is being brought to life by Brooklyn Nets rookie guard Nolan Traoré with his give-and-take play this month.

To set a baseline for what the 19-year-old's premier season has been like, his averages stand at 7.9 points, 3.6 assists and 1.9 turnovers per game. Traoré is shooting 39.2% from the field, 33.3% from three-point range and 76.4% from the free-throw line.

Most of his season has come off the bench, but in the last 11 games, he's seen starter minutes and along with them, he's unveiled shades of what his game could look like in a high-usage role. Particularly through nine games in February, where he's grown more comfortable in the starting lineup, some of his polarizing traits are seeping through.

While Traoré is averaging 13 points and 5.7 assists per game this month, his turnovers have also increased to 3.6 per game. He has a 1.59 assist/turnover ratio, which ranks 237th in the NBA over the last nine games.

Nets 19-year-old rookie Nolan Traoré 20 PTS (8-13 FG, 2-3 3P), 8 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL vs. Pacers

Stats last 4 games: 17.3p/8.0a/2.8r on 59.1% FG & 46.7% 3P. Who does he remind you of? https://t.co/6ctkzGgE4W pic.twitter.com/A9etC7WnoH

— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) February 12, 2026

The Frenchman has also increased his field goal shooting to 44.8% and three-point shooting to 38.7%. One could easily argue that Traoré's good outweighs the bad across this stretch, especially since he's just a rookie. On the other hand, seeing him clean up some of his rash decisions would make the Nets more comfortable giving him lead ball-handling duties going forward.

Most of Traorés turnovers come because of his lack of strength. But coinciding with the Law of Equivalent Exchange, adding more muscle would likely come at the expense of some of his speed, which is undoubtedly his best physical trait.

February has also been a contrasting month for Traoré because of game-to-game inconsistencies. In four of the nine games this month, he's shot worse than 35% from the field and has had four or more turnovers in six games. Even through this up-and-down stretch, Traoré has left a positive impact on the court.

He has the fourth-best net rating on the team in February. He ended losses against the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks with a positive plus/minus.

If a rookie's biggest issue is ball security, that's something a team can live with. Traoré should continue to lean on his quick first step to set up the offense, but working on his change of speed to avoid unforced errors will be vital to his development as a point guard.